Albert Kriemler, designer and creative director for Swiss fashion house Akris, is associated more with European minimalism than folksy American midcentury modern. But on a 2016 visit to the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, Kriemler was bowled over by the vibrant printed linens, handcrafted wooden sculptures, and abstract paintings he saw in the exhibition Alexander Girard. A Designer’s Universe. Girard—an architect and interior and industrial designer also known as Sandro—was prolific, creating furniture, art, and residential designs, though he was best known for his textiles for Herman Miller.

From clean lines to graphic prints, abstract to literal, Akris’s spring collection draws inspiration from Girard’s architectural renderings, sketches, and sculpture—particularly the playful wooden dolls he originally designed in 1963 for his own Santa Fe home. Part art and part toy, the retro dolls capture Girard’s fun-filled and whimsical design approach. According to Kriemler, the two designers share a mission of making everyday life more enjoyable and beautiful. “This is how objects become messengers between creators who never met,” Kriemler says. The fashion collection is available at the Akris boutique in the Shops Buckhead Atlanta this spring. akris.ch

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